Can You Hear Me Now? (2020—)
By
Get It Done
Image description: a colour photograph of an interior, a small room with white walls and blue-and-white checked mattress on which a small selection of food items are arranged. Items include salt, pasta, small cans, yoghurt and cranberry juice. Photo credit: anonymous foodbank user, taken of their food parcel lying on their bed
Can You Hear Me Now? is a creative campaign platforming the experiences of people using foodbanks by Manchester Central Foodbank and arts organisation, Get It Done.
Can You Hear Me Now? is an ongoing campaign platforming the experiences of people using foodbanks, through creative expressions of food insecurity. Over the past two years, Manchester Central Foodbank and arts organisation Get It Done have been working with people using foodbanks to create an archive of foodbank stories, spanning content such as interviews, disposable camera pictures, artworks and reflections from Greater Manchester citizens.
In addition, during lockdown and when access to entertainment was limited for many, we designed creative activity packs that were distributed to over 1200+ individuals experiencing food insecurity across GM, including pupils from four partner schools. These activity packs were designed to encourage creativity and critical thinking, prompting reflection on topics such as identity, community, local politics and utopian policymaking through fun activities. When restrictions were loosened, we took these activity packs and ran a pilot programme of six creative workshops for foodbank users over Summer 2021.
Following the success of the campaign so far, in 2022 we will redevelop our archive to use as an impactful tool for public engagement in foodbank stories and co-create a 6-month creative arts programme with our foodbank users to start in May.
More information: www.getitdoneart.com/canyouhearmenow
